DeShane Hambrick: Connecting through Authentic Stories

As Vice President of Project Management and Customer Experience at Comcast Cable, DeShane Hambrick leads initiatives for the Keystone Region, which encompasses parts of Pennsylvania and Ohio, West Virginia and Maryland. DeShane was recently recognized on the 2022 Pride Power 100 as one of City and State PA’s 100 Most Influential Figures in the LGBTQ community. Read more about DeShane and their journey below.

Q: What does being named to the 2022 Pride Power 100 list mean to you?

A: "I was excited, honored and humbled to be recognized. To have the support from Comcast allows me to show up and be my authentic self and feel validated.”

Q: How has your career evolved from Speedo Authentic Fitness to your current role at Comcast?

A: "Speedo gave me my start in the corporate world and allowed me to gain and develop skills that honed my leadership style. I enjoy investing in and developing teams to become the best versions of themselves and help them feel empowered to make change and transform the culture of the organization. Supporting and collaborating with teams that support such a big business has been amazing.”

Q: What’s the best or most impactful lesson that you’ve learned during your career?

A: "I have learned many things during my career, but more recently, how important it is to tell your story. I always held my personal life close to me but since being here at Comcast I have learned that people want to hear about my lived experience and what makes me who I am, not just my career path.”

“I grew up in Southern California and started working when I was twelve years old to help take care of my family. I grew up quickly, but I also learned how to be responsible and resourceful. Because I started working early in life, my career became more important to me than school, and on-the-job learning became my degree. It prepared me to be the  leader I am today – passionate about helping others developing and also driven to be successful for my family.”

“Sharing my story allows people to see this side of me and to potentially see themselves. It breaks down barriers when people see me as a person, and not just an executive.”

Q: How do you promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within your team?

A: "I always want to have diversity on my team especially when it comes to experience and thought. I create inclusion by getting peoples’ points of view. I want my team to feel like they have an open forum to contribute to the dialogue or bring different opinions. It’s important that people feel like they have the ability to make a big impact on the business and the world. I create an open space for them to share their ideas.”